Six Steps to Successful Telecom Agent Hiring

Acquiring and keeping customers are key success factors in the telecommunications industry.  It’s a buyer’s market and consumers are taking advantage of the opportunity. People are eager to switch companies to save a few dollars, get the newest technology, or to escape poor service. Price wars are driving down cost, but a company’s long-term success will depend on more than offering the lowest price. Some companies have adopted a scientific approach to help them hire contact center representatives who are persuasive and will establish an emotional bond with customers. The net result is more activations and more satisfied customers.This practice article briefly describes how FurstPerson helps companies hire these extraordinary telecommunications agents.

The data-based and results-centric approach of FurstPerson is outlined in the following six steps:

Step 1:  Take time to understand the operating environment and its requirements. The lessons learned represent the context in which the jobs will operate. Jobs do not operate in a vacuum, so it is essential to understand the operating conditions, drivers, and inhibitors.

Step 2:   Conduct a review of all agent jobs, their goals, and how they impact the company’s success. The information will tell the story of what it takes to be successful as a telecommunications agent.

Step 3:  Identify psychometric assessments to measure the qualities it takes to be successful as an agent. These assessments should have a history of empirical validation and should measure competencies required by service, sales, technical support, and collections jobs.

Step 4:  Conduct an empirical study that will use data to connect the dots between the agent’s personality, skills, and abilities and key success factors in all of the jobs in the operating environment. The empirical study helps ensure the results are specific to the company, not just a generic model of what works at most companies.

Step 5:  Draw conclusions about the personal characteristics that distinguish success from failure. It’s this company-specific information that will become a competitive differentiator.

Step 6:  Create a business review schedule to evaluate the performance of the solution against your goals and key business drivers every 12 to 18 months. It is critical to ensure that assessments and business strategy remain inextricably linked.

The Results of a Scientific Approach

The value of FurstPerson’s approach is exemplified by the following telecommunications results:
  • 1.4M more first calls resolved & 246K hours fewer AHT per year at large wireless provider.
  • 15% growth in revenue-per-hour produced by telecommunications sales at large outsourcer.
  • 20% increase in CPH for care and technical support at major communications client.
  • 14% increase in account activation ratio at major communications client.
  • 46% reduction in 0–90 day attrition across a large wireless provider.
  • 39% reduction in 0–90 day turnover at major wire line provider - 162% ROI.
  • 18% reduction in 0–90 day turnover across 11 centers for large communications client.

FurstPerson’s business is built on unwavering commitment to creating contact center solutions that drive lasting success. The notion of one-size-fits-all solutions neutralizes the competitive advantage companies can gain through their hiring processes. Hiring great people requires a company to find those applicants who are the best fit for their jobs, operating environment, goals, and culture. Solving the puzzle requires data-based research, not intuition or assumptions based on what worked at a competitor. Hiring extraordinary telecommunications agents requires deep industry expertise, leading assessments, and a commitment to consultative, data-driven processes.

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